An essay on the cattle murrain and poleaxe murder, or Science and art in the 19th century : including a brief statement of the comparative meaning of the terms rinderpest, plague, and the more appropriate word murrain, and succinct remarks on the origin, nature, property, character, type, theory, pathology, symptoms, cause, effect, and treatment by preventive and curative remedies : dedicated, by permission, to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London / by William Webber.

  • Webber, William, 1800-1875.
Date:
[1865]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on the cattle murrain and poleaxe murder, or Science and art in the 19th century : including a brief statement of the comparative meaning of the terms rinderpest, plague, and the more appropriate word murrain, and succinct remarks on the origin, nature, property, character, type, theory, pathology, symptoms, cause, effect, and treatment by preventive and curative remedies : dedicated, by permission, to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London / by William Webber. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    TO THE READER. As our beneficent Queen—feeling that to her “ much is given” and of her “ much will be required”—did not deem it to be incompatible with the dignity or the duty of her exalted position, as the Sovereign of this great country, to walk into its hospitals and inquire into the ailments of the sick soldier who had fought its foes : nor inconsistent as a royal “nursing mother,” with the Christian trust committed to her charge, to visit and see into the condition of the “ destitute poor;” so I, as a loyal and devotedly attached subject, and a humble fol- lower of my liege Lady, have not thought it out of keeping with my calling (for “ opiferque per orbem terrarum dicor ”) as a medical member, to look into a matter sorely affecting the food of the many, and the welfare of the community. I have for several weeks waited in the expectation and hope that a more able volunteer would have come to the front, but in vain. If I, therefore, having, as I confess, no connection with the shop (of Mr. Death) next door, be held to have trespassed upon “ the field of another profession,” I hope I may be allowed to plead that I took nothing away! All I have done has been honestly to look after the Office, the Master being out and abroad. And let it not be supposed that in taking up, and dealing with, a public question and public acts, I have the slightest desire to invade private interests or reflect upon domestic character and worth. I may disapprove of practises, but I have every respect for persons ; and let it not be imagined that in giving expression to my humble views upon a question of national calamity I have been actuated by any other incentive than that of public spirit and conscientious impulse. The errors, doubtless, are many, but, as I have put my views of the case in issue before the public, it is open, and I hope it will be so considered, for others to record their opinions. The more they